Class of 2014

Meet The Game Changers Class of 2014

Felix Ofosu Yeobah

Mine is a trajectory marked with a poetics of refusals. My lens is a river running through a thousand villages with the aim of reflecting the hopes and yearnings of a people who must yet find themselves. The cinematic apparatus affords me the privilege of engaging with Africa and its diaspora. When I am not doing that, I am usually intrigued by an aspect of my own humanity and the world around me, which I tend to explore in my work. I also do not make much of film school- just another scam they came up with. My MFA just happens to be a consequence of an overly active brain that needs to stop taking itself too seriously and make the damn film- I came very, very far for this- it is 6, 140 miles to Ghana. P.S. If this bio sucks, you can blame it on film school.

Brett C. Wormsley

My start began in 1998, in Oakland, CA where I worked on a few feature length films with an Independent production company called Jaylin Films. These films were set for “direct to DVD” production. A few years later I became a partner in an Independent record label called Full House Music Group. During my time with FHMG I was the art director handling all visual arts for the label. This included working on several music videos and EPK’s for the label artists. While working with FHMG I also got hired to work with Apple Inc. as a Creative (Trainer), in the Emeryville Apple Store. Since moving home to Pittsburgh, PA, one of the projects I work on is the Pittsburgh 48 Hour Film Project, and last year, myself and team of other filmmakers, received the people’s choice award for our submission. Whether it be through our stories and culture told through film or other visual art forms, my goal has been to give today’s black youth back our history and diaspora in a way they will understand. One philosophy behind my work has been and is to be an example for youth and the black community. This drives my dream of doing films about people such as Bass Reeves, whom through research, I have found may have been the basis for the Lone Ranger. It is this type of Ideal that takes black heroes away from our children. I believe film to be a powerful tool for reaching youth, my community, and the community at large.

Robbin Rae

Originally from Oakland, California, Robbin Rae, received both her B.A. in Communications and M.S. in Urban Educational Leadership at California State University, Hayward. As a teacher at McClymond’s High School in Oakland, Ms. Rae developed McClymond’s first digital media arts program, SMART Academy, to train and inspire Oakland’s youth. She ran this program, educating youth in the media for over eight years. During her time teaching Robbin was constantly reminded of her inherent desire to create movies. Her students would ask, “Ms. Robbin, why aren’t you making movies?” Robbin decided to pursue her first love in 2010, and enrolled in the MFA Film program at New York University, Tisch Asia, in Singapore. She moved to Singapore to further develop her technique and explore her artistic talents. Three years later, Robbin left Singapore with the inspiration, business knowledge, and production expertise necessary to carryout out her cinematic aspirations. It is Robbin Rae’s intent to make films that better our communities by inspiring change.

Brandon Pleasant

My name is Brandon Pleasant and I am a 2014 Game Changer. The men in my family represent a long line of Game Changers from my father Roy Sydney Pleasant who was a lead project head establishing the monorail in Newark New Jersey, to his father before him Roy Pleasant Sr., who with an 8th Grade education went on to teach himself trigonometry while working for the Naval shipyard in Philadelphia so that he could go on and support a family of five. My mother set a standard for Game changing as she worked a full time job as a single parent. I came to the city of Pittsburgh in 1998 to get a college degree in what I wasn’t sure. Upon arriving I was called to and committed my life to principles of baptism, abstinence, community service, and teaching truth. As a result, through a mentoring relationship with one of the leaders of that community, Dr. Greg Allen, I was led to embrace acting and filmmaking as an ideal means of teaching. Since 1998, I was able to Graduate with a bachelor’s degree in History and Religious Studies from the University of Pittsburgh, becoming the second generation of my family to get a college degree. I have also acted in over 5 movies and gone on to direct a short feature in 2013. All of my work in one way or another has dealt with the spiritual and ethical principles I have been learning since 1998. Today I stand before you as a man who represents not only himself, but all the family, friends, angels, and ancestors that have come before him. My name is Brandon Pleasant, and I am a Game Changer.

Robbin Rae

Originally from Oakland, California, Robbin Rae, received both her B.A. in Communications and M.S. in Urban Educational Leadership at California State University, Hayward. As a teacher at McClymond’s High School in Oakland, Ms. Rae developed McClymond’s first digital media arts program, SMART Academy, to train and inspire Oakland’s youth. She ran this program, educating youth in the media for over eight years. During her time teaching Robbin was constantly reminded of her inherent desire to create movies. Her students would ask, “Ms. Robbin, why aren’t you making movies?” Robbin decided to pursue her first love in 2010, and enrolled in the MFA Film program at New York University, Tisch Asia, in Singapore. She moved to Singapore to further develop her technique and explore her artistic talents. Three years later, Robbin left Singapore with the inspiration, business knowledge, and production expertise necessary to carryout out her cinematic aspirations. It is Robbin Rae’s intent to make films that better our communities by inspiring change.

Melanie Ramos

Melanie Ramos, a Sacramento, California native, graduated from San Diego State University with a Bachelor’s degree in Television, Film and New Media. Melanie worked on projects that focused on Filipino American Issues and Culture throughout California before returning to get her Masters degree at NYU, Tisch Asia in Singapore. There Melanie had produced and directed several short films traveling throughout Southeast Asia. At Tisch she found her place behind the camera as a Cinematographer. Telling stories visually using colors, framing, and lighting. Her most recent shorts have been recognized this past year at CAAMFest and the Los Angeles Asian Pacific Film Festival. Melanie has recently wrapped shooting Robbin Rae McCulloch’s thesis film OAKLAND IN BLUE, and is currently producing the film TORTOISE AND HIS TAIL for the AFI Director Woman’s Workshop.

Stacey Muhammad

Stacey Muhammad is an award winning writer / director, filmmaker and music video director who has written, directed and produced a series of award winning films of both the narrative and documentary genre. As a social activist and cultural critic, she has lectured on a broad range of topics including hip hop, pop culture, media and film, social justice issues, and most notably, the history of Black women filmmakers in cinema. Her latest project, For Colored Boys, the series, Executive Produced by Dr. Marc Lamont Hill is preparing for it’s second season.

Michael Jasper

Michael Jasper is a filmmaker, editor and producer who has produced several short films and promotional videos for not-for-profit and corporate organizations. He was born and raised in Pittsburgh, PA where he enrolled in Pittsburgh Filmmakers after earning a Bachelor of Arts and MBA from Georgetown University in Washington, DC. Michael is the owner of LaNaMa Films, LLC whose motto is “Be Inspired, Do Great Things, Live Your Dreams”. When Mike is not doing filmmaking, he is a sr. manager working in Finance for a Fortune 500 financial institution. Michael currently resides in Pittsburgh with his wife and three children.

Vincent Cortez

Vincent Cortez is a working filmmaker who has written, directed and produced various high concept/low budget feature and short films. He has always gravitated toward art as a means of communication and expression. Born, raised and based in Oakland CA, He ventured into filmmaking as a child after receiving a hand-me-down camera. In his early 20s, having made dozens of short films, Vincent’s first feature project was a supernatural drama entitled “The Hush” which he wrote, directed, edited and composed the music for. Shot for less than $8,000 in Oakland, the film has been recognized by international film festivals, filmmaking publications and The Film Noir Foundation. His films deal with various elements, from hope, to redemption and reality. Besides his own narrative and documentary work, Vincent has also worked closely as a producer with other filmmakers to bring their films to life – as well as working on various corporate and commercial projects. Vincent, who also mentors and teaches filmmaking to at-risk youth, graduated from SFSU’s Cinema Program.

Martel Brooks

My name is Martel Brooks and I am from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. I graduated from St. John’s University with a B.A in Television and Film. As a 2014 Game Changer fellow, I hope to showcase overlooked positivity within the Pittsburgh community and also young men who are striving to ‘change the game’. Negativity always seems to find it’s way to the forefront of our attention, so to bring something inspiring and fresh to the table through this fellowship is an honor.

Trupiana Bonner

Trupania Bonner is a filmmaker and native son of New Orleans, La. For nearly 10 years, Trupania has worked at the intersection of film, civic engagement and social change throughout the Southern US. From 2008-‐2012, he served as Executive Director of Moving Forward Gulf Coast, Inc. (MFGC), a community-‐based organization building civic potential in communities of color across the Gulf region. As part of his film portfolio, Mr. Bonner produced two documentaries: Crescent City Exodus and BP Gulf Crisis, as well as several micro-‐docs about the recovery and rebuilding process in the aftermath of the 2005 hurricanes and 2010 BP Disaster. In 2013, Trupania was selected as a National Micro-‐Fest Fellow, an honor for community leaders using their art to foster social change. In 2012, Trupania was honored as an Aspen Ideas Festival Scholar for his innovative approach to community building and voter engagement.